Heat the toughest opponent in Gulf Coast League

If the Gulf Coast League had a theme song, it'd be Heat Wave. Or Too Hot by Kool & the Gang. Kool, not Cool.

Candy? Hot tamales. Food? Hot dogs, followed by a hot cross bun, both washed down with a cup of hot coffee.

And if the GCL wanted the ultimate in realism, Gulf Roast League would serve as its name. Indeed, some like it hot. Just not scorching enough to almost make our national pastime a pass-out time.

“I've seen catchers go down,” said GCL Phillies manager Rolano de Armas. “The catching position is probably the toughest because of the gear.”

“I don't know if you ever get used to it,” said Phillies pitching coach Steve Schrenk.

Besides wood bats and superior opposition and the expected homesickness, players in one of pro baseball's lowest classifications face another obstacle: Florida's noon summer heat. Because most of the GCL fields have no lights, day games are a must, along with copious amounts of hydration when sweat glands are forced to work overtime.

At a recent Phillies-Pirates game at Pirates City, temperatures hit the low 90s. Gatorade buckets of ice water were within easy reach of both teams. Off to the side, a Phillies player sat slumped on a training table, a white towel draped around his neck. Nearby stood team trainer Troy Hoffert, who preaches common sense when feeling hot, hot, hot.

“They've got to learn to drink every night when they get back to the hotel,” he said. “They've got to learn to drink every morning, drink during the day. Eat their fruit, take their electrolytes, get their rest.

“Guys get heat exhaustion, guys get cramps. That's how it is in this entire league.”

Teams in the GCL make it easy for players to prepare accordingly. They are fed up to four times a day. Before this game, said GCL Pirates catcher Daniel Arribas, he was served Philly cheese steaks and chicken quesadillas, along with vegetables and rice.

“The meals are really good,” Arribas said. “There's enough to provide us with what we need. The Pirates do a great job of keeping us in shape. They prepare us for more than nine innings.”

Tables of fruit, water, Gatorade and sun screen are made available. For his first game in the GCL, former Manatee High star Cord Sandberg forgot to apply sun screen.

“He doesn't have a football helmet on and shoulder pads,” said Cord's mom, Kelsie. “His high school baseball team did summer camps, so he's used to being in the sun.”

Said Schrenk, “There's no reason for them not to eat and take care of themselves. It's all planned out for them. We have a lot of young kids that we have to take care of. A lot of families are depending on us to take care of them.”

Pirates catchers have another weapon at this disposal. A teeth-chattering one at that.

“After the games they have us jump into the cold tub,” the Miami-born Arribas said. “It's mandatory for all the catchers. That's how we stay fresh.

“They preach to us to be tough guys, especially the catchers. So they try to push us. Trainers won't go out there (on the field) until we really can't play anymore.”

Pirates first-round pick Reese McGuire has noted the Florida humidity. Playing once in Las Vegas, he became aware of the area's dry heat. The hard way.

“I had no energy,” he said. “At the end of the practice, I went to the side and threw up some liquid.

“My dad said I was dehydrated and said I needed to drink more water. From then on I didn't want to feel like that again.”